Trois-Rivières is heading towards a record year for the construction of new housing in 2024.
As of October 31, 1,379 new gates had been built. The City should therefore exceed the previous record which dates from 2010, when 1,488 new housing units were built.
“It responds to a request,” said the spokesperson for the City of Trois-Rivières, Guillaume Cholette-Janson. He recalled that the vacancy rate in rental buildings is 0.4%, the lowest level in Canada for cities of 100,000 inhabitants and more.
“In Trois-Rivières, the efforts that are made respond on the one hand in quantity, but also in the type of housing that is provided. The city has made a lot of effort to equip itself with social and affordable housing in particular,” said Mr. Cholette Janson.
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This acceleration in construction attempts to respond to needs that are more pressing than ever. The situation is unprecedented for the Trois-Rivières Municipal Housing Office at this time of year. Five months after July 1, 16 households are still in emergency accommodation while 115 people are staying with family or friends.
26 new housing units in the city center
The Radisson real estate project is under construction on Bonaventure Street in Trois-Rivières. The 26 housing units are taking shape where the premises of the former Crèmerie des Trois-Rivières were located, ravaged by a fire in 2017.
Photo provided by Le Radisson – Thrace real estate value
“It is important to revitalize with apartments that are safe, good quality, energy efficient in the city center,” said Félix Hamel, president of Thrace real estate value.
The $7.5 million project will offer 3 1⁄2s at $1,250 and 4 1⁄2s at $1,550. “The objective is to offer housing at a reasonable price and therefore we will be between 10 and 15% below the current market price of new constructions,” he mentioned.
“That’s why we’re trying to make housing a little more compact, to arrive at a price that will reach as many people as possible. Our target clientele, in fact, are students, young professionals, retirees,” added Mr. Hamel.
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The building must be completed by July 1, 2025. It will also include common spaces such as a room, a covered terrace and a community vegetable garden.
For InfoLogis Mauricie, it is not because we build more that we resolve the foundations of the housing crisis.
“Even though we are accelerating construction, we are also increasing the affordability crisis,” noted the organization’s coordinator, Geneviève Dugré, reacting to the prices of new apartments.
She recalls that Trois-Rivières has experienced a 49% increase in the cost of rent over the last five years. The best solution, according to the organization, would be to build more social housing, when the median income there is $37,200.
